Mesenchymal stem cells prevent the progression of diabetic nephropathy by improving mitochondrial function in tubular epithelial cells

• Main Authors: Seung Eun Lee, Jung Eun Jang, Hyun Sik Kim, Min Kyo Jung, Myoung Seok Ko, Mi-Ok Kim, Hye Sun Park, Wonil Oh, Soo Jin Choi, Hye Jin Jin, Sang-Yeob Kim, Yun Jae Kim, Seong Who Kim, Min Kyung Kim, Chang Ohk Sung, Chan-Gi Pack, Ki-Up Lee, Eun Hee Koh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nature Publishing Group 2019-07-01
• Series: Experimental and Molecular Medicine
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1038/s12276-019-0268-5
• ISSN: 1226-3613; 2092-6413

Kidney disease: stem cells to the rescue Stem cells can halt the progression of kidney damage owing to diabetes by reducing inflammation and improving energy production in kidney cells. Eun Hee Koh at the University of Ulsan College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, and colleagues found that adult stem cells, known as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), derived from human umbilical cord blood had a protective effect on the kidneys of diabetic mice. Repeated administration of MSCs prevented the recruitment of pro-inflammatory cells into the kidney and increased the levels of arginase-1, a marker of cells with anti-inflammatory activity. Experiments in cells showed that MSCs stimulated the production of arginase-1 in that, in turn, were able to increase the production and activity of mitochondria in kidney cells. This study confirms an important role for MSCs in organ repair.